Tower-wagon.



-E. R. WHITNEY.

- Patented M1y12,1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

B.,R. WHITNEY.

TOWER WAGON.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.27, 1912.

7 Patented May 12,1914.

E. R. WHITNEY.

TOWER WAGON,

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1912.

Patented May 12, 1914.

. llin f a x; 1 a 7b 151.... 1% x T u I u m h H a? J 0 T b E E H S 4 E.R. WHITNEY.

TOWER WAGON.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1912. V

Patented May 12, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

EDDY '12.. WHITNEY, or rninnnmnm, PENNSYLVANIA, .sssionon rpamal am;

TRUCK COMPANY or AMERICA, orrmnnnnnrnm,

new or rnmvsvnvhum.

w tness trimming are lamps, with a novel means for mechanically raisingand lowering its platform; it being particularly desired that theconstruction, while being relatively light and conveniently operative,shall be substantial, shall consist of but relatively few parts, and'shall not be likely to get out of order or require repair. 7

Another .object'of my invention is to provide a tower elevatingmechanism including a motor-actuated screw, so mounted that underoperating conditions it shall be in tension, while the apparatus as awhole shall be so placed as to be relatively near the center of gravityof the structure to which it is applled, although to one side of thecenter line thereof.

I also desire to provide a motor-actuated tower elevating mechanism withnovel means for controlling its operation, either from the platform orfrom the body of the structure on which it is mounted; the arrangementof parts being such as to permitof the oonyenient control oft-he motorregardless of the position of the' adjustable.

platfornrcarrying structure.

These objects and other advantageousends I secure as hereinafter setforth, reference' being bad to the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1, is a side elevation of a tower wagon constructed accordlng tomy invention and showing the platform-carrying structure in its elevatedposition; Fig. 2, is-

a side elevation on an enlarged scale illustrating the detailconstruetion of the upper part of the tower and showing theplatformcarrying structure in" its lowered position; Figs. 3, l, 5 and 6are horizontal sections taken respectively on the lines aa, bb, 0-0, and(L -d, Fig. 2, the latter section beinginverted; Fig. 7 is a verticalsection on an enlarged scale taken on the line ff,

' V Fig. 5; Figs. 8 and 9 are horizontal sections taken on the lines g-gand h k, Fig. 7; Fig. 10, is an inverted plan ofthe motorcontrolling'switch; Fig. 11, is a vertical see Speeification of LettersEatent. Application fil ed August .27, 1 1 sen-a1 No. 717,264.

' vice preferably employed .by and rigidly fixed to the PENNSYLVANIA, ACORPORA- TOWER-WAGON.

' Patented Ma -re, ieia.

tion on the line e-.-e, Fig. 10, and, Fig. 12 1s a veizt-ical sectionillustrating the detail construction of the screw suspending deas partof my invention. Y

In the above drawings, 1 represents the body-of my improved tower wagonwhich.

is provided'with a lower drivers seat 2, and is mounted on two pairs ofwheels 3 and it. Through any' suitable mechanism (not shown) this wagonis driven from an else trio motor 5, receiving current from a storagebattery lecatedin a box .6 mounted under the be y 1, 011 said body andpreferably over the rear pair of wheels 4, is mounted the fixed portion7 of the tower structure which consists of four rolled sections 7?,properly fixed to Said wagon body and trussed or braced together in anysuitable manner so as to outline an open, up-

, wardly tapering frame on one side of which,

adjacent the top-thereof, is fixed an elevated drivers seat 8.

a The controller 9 for governing the operation of vthemotor-.5 ismounted on the foot boardLO of said elevated seatand by means ofmechanism forming no part of the present invention, may be operatedeither from this seat ori'rom the lower drivers seat 2. The steeringmechanism of the vehicle is likewise controllable from either of the twoseats through steering wheels 11 and 12, while the brake mechanism isoperative by means of foot levers 13 and 14 properly situated relativelyto the seats 8 and 2 respectively, there also being a hand lever 15,whereby the brakes may also be set or released- This mechanism is fullydescribed and claimed in an applicationfor U. S. patent, filed jointlyby me and by Emlen S. Hare on May 2nd, 1911, Serial No. 624,587.

As shown in Fig.4, Within the upper part of the fixed tower structure 7are mounted four vertically placed angle sections 16 forming guideways,and, in the present in stance, these are so arranged as to define ,asubstantially square prism, being supported tower structure 7 so as tobe substantially central thereof by bracing members Hand 18.

Vertically slidable within the guide-way provided by the angle sections16 is the vertically movable part 19' formed of ion-r angle sections1.9% latticed or otherwise'snitably braced together so as to out-line anelongated-figure of square section. On the upper end of this movalt estructure is, mounted a platform 20 which may be rotatable on Forraising and lowering the movable.

tower structure 19-, I provide an electric motor 24 of suitable power,mounted in the lowerpart of the fixed tower structure 7 from which it issupported by suitable members 26 a nd 25, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6.Said motor is preferably so mounted that the line of its armature shaftis to one side of the 'central line of the tower structure and saidshaft is operatively ponnectedto an elongated screw 27 hung from theupper part of the fixed tower structure, and engages a nut fixed to themovable structure 19 of said tower. For suspending said screw, I'preferably provider the construction shown in Fig. 12, which includes atransverse member 28 in the form of a structu al section rigidly fixedto one side of the top of the fixed tower structure 7. Movably carriedby this member is a hollow head in the form of a cup like casting 29having a removable cap 30 and internally provided withanti-frictionblearings 31 on which rests a flanged collar 32. The screw27 extends into the bottom of the socket casting 29 and is threaded intoa collar 32, to which it is rigidly held by means ofa jam nut 33. Theexterior contour of the casting-29 is such that it fits into thespherically curved socket recess in the member 28, thus making itpossible for it with the screw to change its position in order to adjustitself to varia- I and the screw.

yoke is formed with upper and under bear-' tions in the relativepositions of its supporting structure and the motor 24 without causingobjectionable strains. A retaining collar 34 is preferably fixed to theneck portion of the head 29 which extends through the member 28, so asto prevent its accidental displacement.

The lower end of the screw is coupled to the armature shaft of the motor24 through some form ofclutch or frictional connecting device such, forexample, as that shown in detail in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. This deviceconsists of a square 'dog 35 keyed or otherwise rigidly fixed to the endof the shaft-36 and fitting into a correspondingly shaped opening in theyoke piece 37 to form a slip joint for driving the same while permittinga limited vertical movement between the motor The upper end 38 of theing surfaces and has a circular hole through which passes the square end39 of the screw 27. The lower end ,of said -screw; is pro-- side therevided with aremovable head 40 and it also has an annular shoulder 41 ashort distance above the upper end 38 of the yoke 37. Between saidshoulder and said yoke I mount a metallic washer 42 and a leather orfiber washer 43, the latter being in contact with .the 'upper bearingsurface of the yoke. A second leather or fiber washer 44 is inengagcment with the under bearing surface ,of the yoke, toward which itis pipssed by a spring 45 confined between the head 40 and a secondmetallic washer 46.

The screw 27 is operatively connected to the movable part 7 of the towerstructure through a nut 47 which consists of an elongated cylindricalcasting containing a body of Babbitt or other bearing metal 48 formedwith a hole through. it threaded for the reception of said screw. Saidnut is provided with a pair of oppositely disposed trunnions 49 for thereception of the two arms of the forked end of an equalizing member 50whose opposite end is in the form of a spindle 51 rotatably fitting intoa suitable bearing in that side of the movable tower structure 19opposite that to which the screw 27 is adjacent. In order that theupward thrust. of the nut shall be equally divided between t'he twoopposite sides of said structure 19, the-member 50 is connected to thatbf adjacent the screw, by means of a bolt 52 whose head has aspherically curved portion 53 fitting intoa correspond ingly formedsocket or recess in the upper face of said member 50. The lower end ofthe bolt has a nut-and a second spherically curved bearing piece 55fitting into a correspondingly formed recess in the under face of a baror plate 56 fastened to and forming part of the movable tower structure19. As a result of the use of this equalizing member 50, the raisingforce is applied to the movable part 7 of the tower structure in such amanner that this latter does not tend to jam in its guide ways or tiltmaterially from a' vertical position. By reason of the par-' ticulardesign of this member as shown in detail in. Fig. 7, the tendency of themovable tower structure to fall over toward the upper part of the screw27 is equalized by the downward force exerted by the end 51 of theequalizing bar, which, because of its peculiar mounting, is free toadjust itself to suit any the tower structure by reason of a weight atany part of theplatform 20.

For controlling the operation of the motor 24, I provide a suitableswitch 57, which, while it may be of any suitable construction,preferably includes a rotatable member 58 carrying contacts and in thepresent instance keyed or otherwise fixed to a shaft59 of square sectionextending centrally of the fixed and movable tower structures. The lowerend of said shaft, below the switch 27,

side strains which may be set up in some interior section, designed toreceive within it the shaft 59 and to telescope with the same, This tube61 is rotatabl carried by said platformso as not to inter 'erewith therotation thereof and is' provided with an operating handle 62, wherebyit and therefore the shaft 59, may be rotated to actuate the switch 57;The movable switch member 58' is provided with a suitably toothedratchet 63 in dicated' in dotted lines in F 10, and acotiperating pawl64, whereby it is removably held in itself position or in either of twooperating positions corresponding to forward and reverse operation ofthe motor,

as may be desired.

Under conditions of'usethe movable tower structure with its platform 20may be raised by causing operation of the motor 24 through the agency ofthe switch 37 which may be actuated from the body 1 of the vehicle bymeans of the handle 60, or from the platform 20 by the handle .62. Inanyvv case the telescopic parts 59 and 61 maintain an operativeconnection between the handle 62 on the platform and the movable switchmember 58, so that a person on the platform can conveniently govern itsposition.

' vV hen the motor armature is turned, power is transmitted from theshaft 86 to the yoke 37, and. by reason of the frictional engagement ofthe upper and lower bearing surfaces of its end 38 with the washers 43'and 44, the screw 47 likewise is turned. Should the latter jam for anyreason, or turn with such d'ifliculty as to impose anabnormal load onthe motor 24, the clutch provided by the yoke 37 and the washers 43 and44, would slip, since the spring 45 would yield sufii cientlyto permitsuch action under prede: termined abnormal conditions. Of course, whenthe load is again returned to its nor- 1 mal amount, power istransmitted through said clutch and drives the screw as desired.()bviously, the rotation of the screw 47 in the proper direction,through the medium of the nut 27 and the equalizing member 50, causes anupward. movement of the movable tower structure 19 with its platform,while a reverse operation of the motor, as determined by themanipulation of the switch 57, would cause lowering of the said parts.The possibility of injurious lateral strains being put on the screw orits associated parts, is reduced to aminimum owing to the ball andsocket connections between the upper end of said screw and the beam 28by which it is connected to the fixed tower structure, and also to thetrunnion connection between the equalizing bar 50 and the nut 47, aswell as to the universal connection between the said bar and the saidmovable towenstructure.

. it is to be notedithatrsince'the screw is hung by its upper endfromthe fixed: tower structure it is not onlyin tension under operatingconditions, but Ill'SilTBlglltalS. carried Independently of 'theImotoriwhich-zis'. supt-ower structure. I claim: I 1

1. The combination .ofia fixed tower structure; a movable towerstructure telescoping therewith; and means for, raising and lower ingsaid movable tower'lstr'ucturelonthefixed screw driven thereby' -andmounted: toone side of the center line ofsa dtower 'strucstructure, the.same/includingla motor, a v

tures; with means for#maintaining'. said screw in tension underoperating conditions.

2. The combination of a fixed tower structure; -a movable towerstructure; and means for raising and lowering said movable towerstructure, the sameincluding a screwlhung from the upper part of thefixed tower structure and operatively connectedto the movabletower-structure; with a'motor for driving said screw. z i

3. The combinationjof a fixed'to-wer structure; a movable towerstructure; and means for raising and lowering saidlmova-ble towerstructure; the same including a screw ad j ustab ly connected to theupper part of the fixed tower structure and operatively con nected tothe movable tower structure; with a motor for driving the screw.

4. The combinationof a two part tower structure; and means for raisingand lowering one of the parts of said structure relatively to the other,the same consisting of a motor; a screw driven therefrom andindependently carried on one of the tower parts, the screw being hungfrom its upper end and means for operatively connecting said screw -tothe second tower part.

The combination of a two part tower structure; and means for raising andlowering one of the tower parts relatively to the other; the sameconsisting of a motor and a screw connected to said motor and suspendedfrom one of the tower parts; frictional con necting means between saidscrew and the motor; and a nut carried by the movable tower part inengagement with the screw.

6. Tit-e combination of a two part tower structure made in twotelescoping parts; a screw mounted on one of the tower parts andextending in a vline parallel to the line of movement of the other part;a motor for actuating the screw; and means for connecting the screw tothe other tower part con-- sisting of a nut operative on said screw;with a member movably connected to said second tower part and trunnionedto the nut.

7. The combination of a two part tower structure; and means for raisingand lowering one part of said structure relatively to the other, thesame consisting of an equaliz ing bar mounted on one part of the towerstructure; a nut carried b said equalizing bar; a screw carried on tieother part of the .tower structure to one side of the 'center linethereof and in engagement with said nut; and a motor for driving thescrew.

8. The combination of a two part tower structure; and means for raisingand lowerin g one part of the tower structure relatively to the other,the same consisting of a screw; a ball and socket jointfor suspendingsaid screw from the top of one part of the tower structure; a motorconnected to the screw;

a nut on the screw; wit-h means for movably tively to the other,consisting of a motordriven screw mounted to oneside of the center lineof the tower structure; a nut engaging said screw; an equalizing bartrunnioned to the nut and rotatably mounted on one part of the towerstructure; with a tension member also connecting said bar to said partof the tower structure.

11. The combination of a two-part tower structure; and means for raisingand lower ing one part of the tower structure relatively to the other,the same consisting of a motordriven screw mounted to one side of thecenter line of the tower structure; a nut engagin said screw; anequalizing bar trunnioned to the nut and rotatably mounted on one partof the tower structure; with a tension member also connecting said barto said part of the tower structure and having a a EDDY R. WHITNEY.

Witnesses VVILLIAM E. BRADLEY, \VM. A. BARR.

